BOX SCORE
OMAHA, Neb. – Southwest Minnesota State limited Chadron State to just 10 points in the final 14 minutes of the game to rally for a 60-51 victory Friday afternoon at the Nebraska-Omaha Classic in Omaha, Neb.
Chadron State, which led 28-21 at halftime, held a 41-34 lead with 14 minutes left in the game, but the SMSU defense held CSC scoreless for the next eight minutes and SMSU answered with 15 straight points to take a 49-41 lead with just over six minutes left in the game and never looked back.
SMSU (2-1) will close out the two-day classic tomorrow afternoon taking on Oklahoma Panhandle State starting at 1:30 p.m. at Sapp Fieldhouse. Chadron State falls to 0-2 on the season.
The Mustangs won despite shooting just 29 percent from the field (20 of 68), but SMSU held a 51-43 rebound advantage, including 23 offensive rebounds. The SMSU defense limited CSC to just 32 percent shooting (19 of 60), including 28 percent in the second half.
Junior Tori Fink led SMSU with 19 points, including drilling a team-high four three-pointers. Junior Heather Smith added 13 points and six rebounds off the bench for the Mustangs.
SMSU started the game strong jumping out to a 9-0 lead in the game's first four minutes behind three-pointers from both Tori Fink and Taylor Voss. The Mustang offense then struggled scoring only two more points in the next eight minutes as Chadron State took its first lead of the game until SMSU's Megan Stadler put the Mustangs back in front at 15-14 with 8:44 remaining on a lay-up.
CSC would answer back and take a four-point lead at 19-15, before SMSU trimmed the lead to 19-18 with 5:44 left on two free throws by Fink and a free throw by Abby Kenealy. CSC would then push its lead to 26-18 with 1:20 left, before Fink answered with a three-pointer with just over a minute left in the half. The Eagles closed out the half with another field goal to take a 28-21 halftime lead.
SMSU shot just 20 percent in the opening half with Fink leading the way with 10 points.
Like they did in the opening half, SMSU started the second half strong scoring the first eight points of the half on a field goal by Fink and back-to-back three-pointers by Voss and Fink to take a 29-28 lead just over a minute into the half. CSC answered back and pushed the lead to 41-34, before SMSU put together its game-winning 15-0 run.
Junior Lucia Puchelova drilled a jumper with just over nine minutes left in the game to tie the game at 41-41. Following a defensive stop, SMSU took the lead for good as Smith connected on a jumper with 8:32 left to give SMSU a 43-41 lead. Junior Laura Kramer push the margin to 45-41 with a basket with 7:51 left before Smith drilled another three-pointer with just over seven minutes left to extend the lead to 48-41.
Chadron State finally scored with just over six minutes on the clock to trim the lead to 48-41, but Smith stepped up once again with another field goal to make the score 50-43 and CSU never threatened again.
Kaitlin Petri led Chadron State with 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting.
